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British Columbia Opts for Pro Jobs
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British Columbia Opts for Pro Jobs,
Pro-Export Terminal Expansion Leaders
Speculation surrounding the attitude of our British Columbia neighbors toward the continued expansion of port capacity for the exportation of raw materials, including coal and other U.S. and Canadian commodities, was answered in last month's provincial elections.
Articles in www.seattlepi.com by columnist Joel Connelly [Coal trains ,pipelines, climate: British Columbia vote mirrors U.S., Premier Christy Clark leads upset victory in British Columbia] describe the run-up to and the results of an election that provided voters a clear choice between the left and green-leaning candidacy of Adrian Dix (and his New Democratic Party) and the pro-exports "free enterprise coalition" of incumbent Premier Christy Clark (and her Liberal Party).
According to Connelly, Dix campaigned on themes that opposed the expansion of coal and oil exports from B.C. ports, while Clark extolled jobs and tax revenue by expanding exports and the economy. Dix and his party lost; Clark and her party won. British Columbia has not "gone green", according to Connelly.
A lack of port capacity to efficiently serve U.S. exports of dry bulk products like corn, coal, grains, and wood biofuels is driving the development of port capacity elsewhere, especially to B.C. In a previous report [Will the Trains Come Anyway? YES], detail was provided on the confirmed and potential expansion at five B.C. ports, along with the sources of the data. These are facts, but opponents of U.S. port and industrial expansion, including the GPT project at Cherry Point, WA, have turned a blind eye to these facts, saying that the British Columbians were turning against such development. In light of this election, they may want to re-consider this line of argument.
Like B.C. voters, we too have a choice: expand port capacity here and capture the benefits of increased U.S. exports in terms of jobs and tax revenues. Or watch those jobs and revenue literally pass us by to British Columbia where business is welcomed.
We can't afford to let these jobs pass us by! Support GPT now
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